Scottish Executive

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 17, 18 and 19 December 2003.

Ross Finnie: I attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 17, 18 and 19 December 2003 together with Margaret Beckett, Ben Bradshaw and Ian Pearson.

  On fisheries, the Council agreed the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and Quotas for 2004.

  The TACs for Scotland's pelagic fisheries remained broadly stable – increases of 15% for North Sea Herring and 95% for Western Blue Whiting were balanced by a sensible precautionary reduction of 8% in the Mackerel TAC.

  The TAC for North Sea Nephrops (prawns) increased by 15%, with a further 15% increase to follow (automatically) when suitable management arrangements have been agreed. The West of Scotland Nephrops TAC was rolled over, but new scientific evidence has emerged since the advice was offered and we intend to revisit this in the course of the coming year.

  Our efforts ensured that most of the TACs for Scotland's key whitefish stocks including North Sea cod, whiting and anglerfish were rolled over, despite vocal efforts to introduce quota cuts. The main exceptions to this were Northern Saithe (coley), where a 15% increase was secured and North Sea haddock, where a 55% increase was secured.

  The very large increase in the North Sea haddock TAC represents an increase of 66% in the quota available to the UK and following technical discussions on the science and on the basis of the introduction of special licensing and control conditions. These arrangements provide new incentives for fishermen to move away from cod rich areas will help compensate for continued effort controls and the need to change past fishing patterns.

  The Council also agreed by qualified majority a long term recovery plan for cod stocks, setting a mechanism for deciding on multi-annual catch limits, and providing for annual limits on fishing effort as in Annex V to the TAC Regulation. It explicitly enables the Council to adjust the mechanism for fishing effort during 2004 should it so wish and we have assurances from the commission about plans to discuss further, during 2004, more flexible effort control measures.

  Restricting fishing effort is a key element in the approach to ensuring sustainability of fishing. The effort control arrangements provide for limits on fishing time in 2004 for vessels which can catch cod, which operate in the North Sea and west of Scotland waters and, for the first time, for vessels in the Irish Sea and the eastern English Channel. Annex VI introduces an effort management scheme for the North Sea sandeel fishery, for which the regulation also sets significantly reduced quotas.

  Discussions to clarify the details of the agreement are still on-going. However, taken with the rest of the package we negotiated in December, this represents a fair outcome. It takes full account of our decommissioning activity and balances conservation concerns and aims with the commercial interests of fishermen.

  Finally the Council agreed the guide prices for fish species for 2004.

  On agriculture, the Council adopted by qualified majority the Presidency's compromise text for a regulation reinforcing the current requirements regarding identification of sheep and goats. The UK welcomed this proposal which met the main concerns we had registered during negotiation. The arrangements now take account of the unique structure of our sheep sector. Subject to approval by the Commission, our current national sheep and goat identification system of movement tags backed up by the animal movement licensing system will remain until 2008 and will be followed thereafter by the introduction of Electronic Identification (Electronic ID).

  The Council noted progress made in discussions on the proposal to update rules governing the welfare of animals during transport. The proposal was remitted for further official discussion, in particular as regards the establishment of maximum journey times.

  The Council took note of progress on a draft regulation harmonising official controls on food and feed. There was no discussion and a number of issues, notably the scope of regulation and the charges to be made in connection with its enforcement, remain to be settled.

  The Council also took note of progress which had been made in discussions on a draft regulation setting maximum residue levels for pesticides. There was no discussion.

  The Council discussed the package of proposals to reform the CAP regimes for tobacco, olive oil, cotton and hops. The UK reiterated its support for the Commission in extending the principles of CAP reform to these sectors but argued for greater decoupling of subsidies to the olive oil and, particularly, cotton sectors. We expressed support for full decoupling in the tobacco sector, as the Commission has proposed, and called for the shortest possible transition period. Detailed negotiation on these proposals will resume under the Irish Presidency.

  Under Other Business, the Italian Presidency tabled a written report outlining progress on specific hygiene rules in the animal feed sector. The Presidency also reported on progress in negotiation of a veterinary equivalence agreement with Russia. Austria pressed for early action to deal with low prices in the pigmeat sector: the UK and several other member states cautioned against reliance on export refunds in this sector. The UK raised the problems caused for Pakistan by recent changes in the concessionary import terms applicable to Basmati rice. The Commission took note and reported that it was consulting with Pakistan and India over the latest information available on prices and varieties.

Alcohol Misuse

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when its review of progress in delivering the plan for action on alcohol problems will be published.

Mr Tom McCabe: We have set up a sub-group of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Alcohol Misuse to lead on the review of progress in delivering the Plan for Action and in determining priorities for future action. The group meets for the first time in February and we expect to complete the review by the end of April.

Children and Young People

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the announcement of a £69 million programme to fund outdoor pursuits for children, how the total of £69 million was calculated, who will be responsible for implementing this programme, whether there will be a policy to avoid duplication of facilities, such as avoiding building new facilities where public, voluntary or private facilities exist, what attempts have been made to ensure that existing centres of excellence in this field are used, what consultation there has been, or will be, at community level about the programme and to what extent the operation of the scheme will involve teachers.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has been committed to providing support for out of school hours learning activities since 1999. The £69 million referred to in a recent media article is the amount of funding being made available to local authorities up to 2005-06 by the Scottish Executive (£34 million under the National Priorities Action Fund) and the New Opportunities Fund (£35 million from the Activities Programme of the PE and Sport in Schools Initiative), as part of that on-going commitment. It is for the local authorities to determine how best to use that financial support in the light of local needs and circumstances.

Common Agricultural Policy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of staff and staff costs within its Environment and Rural Affairs Department will decrease over the next three years as a result of the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, if so, by how much in each case.

Ross Finnie: It is too early to estimate to what extent staff costs within the Environment and Rural Affairs Department will change as a consequence of CAP reform because we have not yet decided how the reforms will apply in Scotland. The consultation exercise on CAP reform finished on 6 January and decisions will be made shortly.

  A reduction in the number of direct support schemes should lead to reductions in staffing and staff costs. But this will depend on exactly which options are chosen. In the short term there are likely to be additional costs associated with developing the new system at the same time as continuing to make payments under the old system.

Construction Industry

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to deal with any skills gaps in the construction industry.

Lewis Macdonald: The initiatives to address skills gaps in the construction industry are being handled by Scottish Enterprise in partnership with the Sector Skills Council, Construction-Skills, which I launched in Scotland, with industry partners, earlier this month.

Culture

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what events are planned for the Scottish Entente Cordiale centenary celebrations in 2004.

Mr Frank McAveety: An announcement will be made on 22 January.

Dental Care

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the consultation paper on children's oral health, Towards Better Oral Health in Children , and whether it will indicate its position on compulsory water fluoridation.

Malcolm Chisholm: The outcome of this consultation, which covers a number of issues bearing on children's oral health, including fluoridation of the public water supply, will be announced as soon as possible.

E-Government

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of applets by the eProcurement Scotl@nd web service restricts or prevents its use by (a) buyers and (b) suppliers who use "open systems" computer software and hardware or who conform to cross-industry rather than proprietary standards.

Mr Andy Kerr: The eProcurement Scotl@nd service is made up of a number of elements, for example, transaction software and e-tendering software. The service provider is required to ensure that the service is not reliant on proprietary standards such as the type of web-browser used.

  Applets are used in a limited number of situations. We are not aware of any compatibility issues surrounding the use of applets in the transaction software, but we have recently become aware of a compatibility issue in the e-tendering software. The service provider has been asked to address this issue. Our intention is that wherever possible, cross-industry standards, rather than proprietary standards, will be applied, and this is a fundamental requirement of the service.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a table showing the types of (a) learning and (b) physical disability of those pupils who currently have a record of needs but will not be eligible for a co-ordinated support plan under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill.

Peter Peacock: Eligibility for a co-ordinated support plan will depend on the circumstances and needs of the individual child or young person, not just on the type of learning or physical disability he/she may have. Guidance on eligibility will be given in the code of practice which will be published.

Environment

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental impact assessment is made of the use of biosolids on land.

Ross Finnie: The relevant planning authority will consider a formal Environmental Impact Assessment where this is required under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999, as amended.

  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency assesses the impact on the environment of the activities which it permits or licenses.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Environment and Rural Development last met the European Commission to discuss the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels in December 2003; when he will next meet the commission, and what issues will be discussed.

Ross Finnie: No such meeting has taken place and none is currently planned.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been, or will be, taken to assess the impact of the outcome of December's fisheries negotiations on the Scottish (a) economy and (b) fishing industry.

Ross Finnie: Our initial analysis is that the pelagic sector can expect stable economic returns, and that the nephrops and whitefish sectors should be able to secure significantly increased returns based on a 66% increase in the North Sea haddock quota and a 28% increase in the North Sea nephrops quota.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposed the boundaries adopted at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels in December 2003 in respect of cod recovery zones for the North Sea and what the reasons were for each boundary adopted.

Ross Finnie: The Commission proposed the specific boundaries of the cod recovery zone, which are set out in Annex V to the TAC and Quota regulation. In the North Sea, the boundaries have been extended to ensure that the cod recovery measures apply in all areas where cod is caught.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether foreign vessels will be able to fish without restrictions in areas where Scottish vessels are subject to restrictions agreed at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels in December 2003.

Ross Finnie: For a proportion of its haddock quota, the UK will be subject to additional constraints not applied to other member states (a special permit system and limited access to a cod sensitive area). This reflects the fact that the haddock fishery in this cod sensitive area is an almost exclusively UK fishery. Other member states were not willing to agree a 66% increase in the UK haddock quota without additional controls to protect cod in that area.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide up-to-date figures for the 2003 fisheries aid package detailing funding paid out under the (a) Transitional Aid scheme, (b) decommissioning scheme and (c) rates relief package and whether each scheme is open for further application.

Ross Finnie: Transitional support grants totalling £4.8 million have been paid to the owners of over 150 Scottish fishing vessels. Further payments of £0.6 million are currently being processed for payment to cover the September 2003 aid period. Further payments in respect of October to December will follow.

  Decommissioning grants of over £25.5 million have been paid out so far under the 2003 fishing vessel decommissioning scheme. The current deadline for vessel owners to complete the decommissioning process and claim their grant is 29 February.

  Neither of these schemes are open to further applications.

  To date (8 January 2004) the total amount of hardship relief granted by local authorities to harbours and businesses affected by the reduction in whitefish catches is a little under £200,000. Some applications are still being considered. Businesses can still apply to their local authority for relief as a result of hardship being suffered between 1 April – 30 September 2003.

Forensic Science

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to review the "view and grant" procedure and fee structure for post-mortem examinations.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of post-mortem examinations commissioned by procurators fiscal is conducted by the "view and grant" procedure in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce quality assurance programmes across the range of forensic services.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce and fund a training programme for forensic pathologists.

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce national and local co-ordinating committees for forensic pathology services and, if so, how the membership of such committees will be determined.

Colin Boyd QC: The "view and grant" procedure is a mechanism whereby pathologists are able to certify unsuspicious deaths based on an external examination and consideration of medical records, without the need for an autopsy examination. It is a matter for the professional assessment of the pathologist whether s/he is in a position to certify a death in this way and for the procurator fiscal to determine in each case whether it is appropriate to accept a certificate so issued. Currently around 15% of deaths reported to procurators fiscal across Scotland are certified in this way. The figures are not available by local authority region.

  A discussion paper circulated following a consultative forum held last year involving discussions among pathologists, service providers, procurators fiscal and other interests from across Scotland, makes a number of recommendations aimed at future arrangements for training of, and accreditation and standards for, forensic pathologists and how services should be structured and overseen. We are considering the responses to those recommendations and planning how we can work together with interested parties to take forward the issues raised with a view to securing high quality forensic pathology services for the future.

Forestry

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to use forests as carbon sinks.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive currently has no plans to use forests solely for their action as a carbon sink. However, increasing the areas of sustainably managed forest often has benefits in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Through the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme and Farmland Premium Scheme financial incentives are available to landowners for planting.

Forestry

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding it has given to the development of carbon sinks in the last year.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not support developments solely for their action as a carbon sink and, as such, we do not keep records of the proportion of expenditure directly attributable to the development of carbon sinks.

  Support is given, however, to developments where carbon sequestration is but one of a number of benefits. For example, the Scottish Forestry Strategy supports new tree planting for a full range of benefits including improved biodiversity, recreational opportunities and timber production, as well as carbon sequestration.

Forestry

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants are available to companies wishing to develop forests as carbon sinks.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not support developments solely for their action as a carbon sink. Incentives to plant new woodland and for replanting felled woodland are targeted to meet our priorities and programmes for forestry as outlined in the Scottish Forestry Strategy.

  Grants to plant new woodland are available through the Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme (SFGS) and the Farmland Premium Scheme. Grants are also offered for replanting felled woodland under the SFGS.

Forestry

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many carbon sink projects are currently in operation.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not keep records of the number of carbon sink projects in Scotland.

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will adopt UNISON's proposal for "yellow and red cards" for those who abuse NHS staff or consider the British Medical Association's recommendations for addressing violence in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Partnership Information Network (PIN) guideline Managing Health at Work which issued in January 2003 contains dedicated sections on protecting the health, safety and welfare of people working alone and protecting against violence and aggression at work and includes the ability to withhold treatment in certain circumstances. This is similar to the UNISON yellow and red card system. The PIN Guideline was prepared in partnership with the trade unions, professions and NHSScotland. UNISON and the BMA and were fully involved in the consultation process.

  PIN Guidelines are intended to be reviewed every two years and the Guideline Group will be expected to take account of recognised good practice developed since the last publication as part of the review.

  Following the launch of the violence and aggression campaign to raise public and staff awareness, arrangements are being made for a conference to be held at the end of February to develop a strategy with the service to take forward action on violence and aggression.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations the National Services Division of the Common Services Agency made to NHS Greater Glasgow's review of maternity services.

Malcolm Chisholm: National Services Division has not yet made a formal response to the consultation document, but intends to do so within the timeframe set for the consultation process.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions the National Services Division of the Common Services Agency has had with NHS Greater Glasgow regarding the impact of the closure of the Queen Mother's Hospital in Glasgow.

Malcolm Chisholm: National Services Division has had informal discussions with NHS Greater Glasgow and has been assured that the board's plans will take account of their potential impact on the national services provided at the Queen Mother's Hospital.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the closure of the Queen Mother's Hospital in Glasgow will be on services located at the hospital that are funded by the National Services Division of the Common Services Agency.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on this point will be contained in National Services Division's formal response to the consultation process.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what services the National Services Division of the Common Services Agency funds at the Queen Mother's Hospital in Glasgow.

Malcolm Chisholm: The national services which National Services Division funds at the hospitals on the Yorkhill site which are relevant to the review of maternity services are:

  Paediatric Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology

  Newborn Screening

  Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenisation

  Paediatric Renal Transplantation

  Transport of Critically Ill Children

  Interventional Fetal Therapy.

Health

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is promoting NHS consultant contracts that provide cross-NHS board solutions to meet patients' needs.

Malcolm Chisholm: Yes. The new consultants' contract, through the job planning process, provides the opportunity for NHSScotland to deliver more efficient and effective ways of working and to put in place service re-design that will deliver better services to patients and allow for more efficient use of resources. This will facilitate the delivery of the development of improved cross-NHS board working to maximise direct clinical care services for patients. In this way it will help to develop further the regional service planning arrangements referred to in Partnership for Care .

Health

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice has been issued to all NHS boards encouraging the use of the new facilities for orthopaedics at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The National Waiting Times Unit is currently meeting with NHS boards to discuss their Local Health Plans for 2004-05. Discussions include the setting of local waiting times targets to ensure good progress towards delivering national commitments by the end of 2005, planned increases in local elective surgery capacity, and the use of the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, including the new orthopaedics facilities, to ensure that these targets are met.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any advanced practitioner posts in biomedical sciences have been created in the NHS and, if so, how many such posts were created and where they are located.

Malcolm Chisholm: Currently there are no advanced practitioner posts in biomedical sciences in NHSScotland.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to create advanced practitioner posts in biomedical sciences in the NHS and, if so, how such plans will be achieved.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has no plans to create advanced practitioner posts in biomedical sciences in NHSScotland. It is open to individual NHSScotland employers to determine whether, in providing an effective laboratory service, there is a need for advanced practitioners in biomedical sciences.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any locum, bank or agency medical laboratory scientific officers (biomedical scientists) have been employed in NHS laboratories in each of the last three years and, if so, how many such staff have been employed and in which locations.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not centrally available.

Health

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals are in place to improve direct transport links for patients within the Greater Glasgow NHS Board area who have to travel between North Lanarkshire and the city of Glasgow for health care services, in particular for those who have to take three separate bus journeys to attend hospital appointments.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for NHS Greater Glasgow and its planning partners.

  I understand that Greater Glasgow NHS Board is currently undertaking a major piece of work on transport and access as part of their Acute Hospitals Modernisation Programme. They aim to appoint a transport and access manager in the spring of this year. That post will be focused on improving their existing patient transport provision, working with transport providers and Strathclyde Passenger Transport to engage more public transport routing to hospitals.

  The board has undertaken to contact you direct with a view to establishing which locations are giving cause for concern in this regard and providing a more detailed response.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any research into the incidence of air-related deep vein thrombosis treated in hospitals.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency maintains statistics on hospital discharges and diagnoses. It is possible to identify cases of deep vein thrombosis linked to travel generally, but not cases specifically linked to air travel. In 2002, 10 such cases were recorded, and the provisional figure for 2003 is 13. However, caution is necessary in interpreting these figures. Some hospitals may not have recorded a possible link with travel. Also, it is possible that the same patient may have been seen more than once in the course of a year. We are not aware of any research relating specifically to these figures.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission research into the incidence of air-related deep vein thrombosis treated in hospitals.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency maintains statistics on hospital discharges and diagnoses. There are no plans to collect information separately on incidences of air-related deep vein thrombosis treated in hospitals.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance to GPs, nurses, consultants and other health professionals on the symptoms of air-related deep vein thrombosis to raise awareness and avoid misdiagnosis.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to distinguish the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis which may have been triggered by air travel from those of deep vein thrombosis in people who have not flown recently or at all, so it would not be possible to issue such specific guidance. Though the Executive does not issue clinical advice to medical professionals directly, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), which is funded by the Executive, has issued advice on what may be done to prevent or reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism, including deep vein thrombosis, developing in the first place. The good practice clinical guideline Prophylaxis of Venous Thromboembolism was published in October 2002 and includes a section on long distance travel. SIGN guidelines are made available to the NHS at all levels, and are kept under regular review to take account of new published research.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is specialist deep vein thrombosis (DVT) provision for any DVT cases whether air-related, pregnancy-related or other; what the nature of this provision is, and where such provision is located.

Malcolm Chisholm: All acute hospitals throughout Scotland will be able to treat DVT. The treatment is not normally complicated, however, and many cases are managed by the patient's GP or self-managed by the patient after instruction. In cases of recurrent DVT, which require investigation for an underlying predisposition to form clots (thrombophilia), screening is widely available across NHS Scotland.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the availability is of thrombophilia screening across Scotland.

Mr Tom McCabe: In December 2000 the UK National Screening Committee recommended that there was no evidence to support the introduction of a population-based thrombophilia screening programme. Screening for individuals considered to be at high risk is available throughout NHSScotland.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the availability is of Doppler machines across Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: Doppler machines are widely available in acute hospitals throughout Scotland.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the population of each deprivation quintile is in each NHS board area, expressed as a percentage of total board area population, in each year since 1998-99.

Malcolm Chisholm: Populations for each deprivation quintile based on the Carstairs Index of Deprivation are only available for Census years. Results relating to 2001 are provided in the following table. These results are provisional.

  Census Populations by Carstairs Deprivation Quintile and Health Board

  

 

Population



Carstairs Deprivation Quintiles



Health Board

1 - Least Deprived

2

3

4

5 - Most Deprived

Total



Ayrshire and Arran

38,437

66,138

63,774

98,727

101,073

368,149



Borders

19,157

45,078

30,393

12,136

0

106,764



Argyll and Clyde

67,328

76,460

71,554

102,038

102,691

420,071



Fife

61,271

61,405

72,052

127,175

27,526

349,429



Greater Glasgow

152,486

86,014

80,939

125,853

423,805

869,097



Highland

19,569

82,176

69,761

36,846

562

208,914



Lanarkshire

29,244

99,347

124,455

172,168

126,078

551,292



Grampian

227,178

114,432

103,493

50,413

30,420

525,936



Orkney

0

19,245

0

0

0

19,245



Lothian

203,563

141,027

197,813

168,942

67,022

778,367



Tayside

109,789

105,050

42,467

45,354

86,352

389,012



Forth Valley

75,798

27,753

94,783

62,688

18,458

279,480



Western Isles

0

10,662

7,115

8,725

0

26,502



Dumfries and Galloway

12,892

54,194

50,353

2,432

27,894

147,765



Shetland

0

13,732

8,256

0

0

21,988



Scotland

1,016,712

1,002,713

1,017,208

1,013,497

1,011,881

5,062,011



  Source: GRO Scotland, national census data.

  Census Populations by Carstairs Deprivation Quintile and Health Board

  


Percentage Population in each Health Board


 

Carstairs Deprivation Quintiles



Health Board

1 - Least Deprived

2

3

4

5 - Most Deprived

Total



Ayrshire and Arran

10.4%

18.0%

17.3%

26.8%

27.5%

100.0%



Borders

17.9%

42.2%

28.5%

11.4%

0.0%

100.0%



Argyll and Clyde

16.0%

18.2%

17.0%

24.3%

24.4%

100.0%



Fife

17.5%

17.6%

20.6%

36.4%

7.9%

100.0%



Greater Glasgow

17.5%

9.9%

9.3%

14.5%

48.8%

100.0%



Highland

9.4%

39.3%

33.4%

17.6%

0.3%

100.0%



Lanarkshire

5.3%

18.0%

22.6%

31.2%

22.9%

100.0%



Grampian

43.2%

21.8%

19.7%

9.6%

5.8%

100.0%



Orkney

0.0%

100.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

100.0%



Lothian

26.2%

18.1%

25.4%

21.7%

8.6%

100.0%



Tayside

28.2%

27.0%

10.9%

11.7%

22.2%

100.0%



Forth Valley

27.1%

9.9%

33.9%

22.4%

6.6%

100.0%



Western Isles

0.0%

40.2%

26.8%

32.9%

0.0%

100.0%



Dumfries and Galloway

8.7%

36.7%

34.1%

1.6%

18.9%

100.0%



Shetland

0.0%

62.5%

37.5%

0.0%

0.0%

100.0%



Scotland

20.1%

19.8%

20.1%

20.0%

20.0%

100.0%



  Source: GRO Scotland, national census data.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is given to women (a) under 50 and (b) over 50 who currently receive hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms.

Malcolm Chisholm: The UK Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) and its expert working group on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have kept the safety of HRT under constant review and have provided advice to health professionals and women in response to important new evidence as it emerged. The latest advice was cascaded to health professionals and women in December 2003.

  At that time, the CSM advised that, for women of all ages, the benefits of short-term use of HRT for the relief of menopausal symptoms outweigh the risks for most women.

  For women who are over 50 years of age, HRT should no longer be considered as a first-line therapy for the long-term prevention of osteoporosis. In women who are under 50 years and have experienced a premature menopause, HRT may be used until the age of 50 years.

  Prescribers are advised that each decision to initiate treatment with HRT should be made on an individual basis and that women should be made aware of the increased risk of adverse effects. Each treatment decision should take into consideration the known risks and benefits of HRT, the contraindications for use and each woman's individual circumstances. Importantly, the treatment should be re-evaluated at least annually in light of any new knowledge and any changes in the woman's risk factors.

  Product information provided with each pack of HRT reflects safety information. In addition, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and CSM website www.mhra.gov.uk contains comprehensive information about the known risks associated with HRT use.

  As with all licensed medicines, the CSM keeps the safety of HRT under close review, and would take appropriate action if further evidence relating to its safe use became available.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the breast screening service to women under 50, in light of recent research findings.

Malcolm Chisholm: At present women under 50 are not offered routine breast screening due to the density of their breast tissue which makes it difficult to detect small breast cancers by mammography. The findings of a UK trial looking at the benefits of screening women from the age of 40 are expected in 2005 and will be considered in due course.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were postponed due to bed shortages in the (a) South Glasgow University Hospital NHS Trust and (b) North Glasgow NHS Trust in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were postponed due to bed shortages at the old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in each of the three years prior to its closure.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information, in the form requested, is not available. An average of the two years 2001-02 gives a total number of cancellations of 1,141 per annum, with 149 of these attributed to a lack of beds.

  There are many explanations for the cancellation of operations, other than a shortage of beds. They range from surgery no longer required, surgery done elsewhere, patient not fit, and patients not turning up. Others are cancelled perfectly legitimately, and in advance.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the broad criteria are for the designation of community health partnerships.

Malcolm Chisholm: The main aims of community health partnerships (CHP) were described in the white paper Partnership for Care . Further information on the broad criteria is contained in the NHS Reform Bill and is underpinned by the recent consultation process on CHP guidance which describes the proposed form and function of CHPs.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what process should be followed to reach agreement over the boundaries of community health partnerships.

Malcolm Chisholm: Health boards should work with all stakeholders to agree the boundaries which are in the best interest of local communities and partner organisations. Where a community health partnership potentially crosses into two health board areas the respective boards should involve and agree the boundaries with their local authority partners.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether community health partnerships should, where possible, reflect natural communities.

Malcolm Chisholm: Community health partnerships (CHP) should, where possible, reflect natural communities. They must be fit for purpose and the size should be based on the principle of co-terminosity between CHPs and local authorities and natural communities. Consideration must also be given to the minimum population size required to deliver a wide range of services for local people.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance is attached to the views of GPs and local communities in determining the boundaries of community health partnerships.

Malcolm Chisholm: We attach the highest importance to gaining the views of all professional staff and local communities in evolving community health partnerships (CHP) and this includes the issue of boundaries. The consultation paper on the development of CHPs issued on the 18 July emphasised that NHS boards must ensure that local authority partners are fully involved in the development of CHPs and that all proposed schemes should be developed through a bottom up inclusive process and demonstrate that the views of all stakeholders have been taken into consideration.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost has been of the child witness initiative, with particular reference to the cost of producing Guidance on Interviewing Child Witnesses in Scotland – Supporting Child Witnesses guidance pack; how many copies of the pack were distributed, and what feedback has been received on the pack.

Hugh Henry: The total cost of producing Guidance on Interviewing Child Witnesses in Scotland – Supporting Child Witnesses , including research, consultation, publication and distribution, was £34,957.

  Of the 2,500 packs produced, around 2,300 have so far been distributed to practitioners involved with children and the law. Outstanding requests for additional packs are being met.

  Feedback has been very positive with a high demand from practitioners and trainers for copies of the pack. The guidance is being used as a training tool by the Director of Judicial Studies, and the Executive has been invited to contribute an article on the pack for the Law Society's journal. At the end of January I will be opening a seminar organised by the Faculty of Advocates Criminal Bar Association on interviewing child witnesses, an event prompted by the publication of the guidance.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it has in the appointment, or suspension, of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner and what powers of direction it has over the commissioner's activities.

Cathy Jamieson: A Chief Surveillance Commissioner is appointed by the Scottish ministers under section 2 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Scotland) Act 2000, for a term of three years. Under this legislation, removal of the Commissioner from office before the end of this term would require a resolution to be passed by the Scottish Parliament.

  A Chief Surveillance Commissioner is also appointed by the Prime Minister for a term of three years under section 91 of the Police Act 1997, after consultation with the Scottish ministers. Under this legislation, removal of the Commissioner from office before the end of this term would require resolutions passed by each House of Parliament and also by the Scottish Parliament.

  While the 2000 and 1997 Acts allow for 2 Chief Surveillance Commissioners, the two roles are presently carried out by the same person, Sir Andrew Leggatt.

  It is the duty of the Chief Surveillance Commissioner to keep under review the performance of functions under Part III of the 1997 act, and the exercise and performance of the powers and duties conferred or imposed by the 2000 act. In performance of this duty, the Commissioner reports annually to the Prime Minister and the Scottish ministers and a copy of this report is laid in the Scottish Parliament. His most recent report was laid in the Scottish Parliament on 9 September 2003 and a copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 29152).

Landfill

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to monitor the use of biosolids in the restoration of former landfill sites.

Ross Finnie: The use of biosolids in the restoration of former landfill sites is subject to planning permission from the planning authority, and to the appropriate environmental regime overseen by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Monitoring arrangements are a matter for these bodies.

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase significantly lighting and roads budgets for local authorities such as Glasgow City and South Lanarkshire councils in the light of their overspends for the last financial year.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is up to each local authority how it allocates its funding, taking account of local needs and priorities as well as national priorities. Scottish local authorities have benefited from above inflation increases in revenue grant this year and will benefit from further above inflation increases over the next two years.

Maternity Services

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Argyll and Clyde NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Greater Glasgow NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Ayrshire and Arran NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Borders NHS board area in each year from1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Fife NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Highland NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Lanarkshire NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Grampian NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Lothian NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Tayside NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Forth Valley NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4176 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 December 2003, how many neonatal care cots there were in each hospital in the Dumfries and Galloway NHS board area in each year from 1998-99 to 2001-02.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows information on the average available staffed cots in each neonatal unit for the years ending 31 March 1999 to 2003. Further information has been received by ISD Scotland from trusts, leading to a revision of some of the data held nationally and reported in the answer to question S2W-4176.

  NHSiS: Average Available Staffed Beds; Neonatal Unit; by Health Board and Location: Years Ending 31 March 1999-2003

  




1999R

2000R

2001

2002

2003P



Scotland

409

388

375

351

332



Argyll and Clyde

 28

 27

 27

 28

 27



Inverclyde Royal Hospital

 7

 7

 7

 7

 7



Royal Alexandra Hospital

 13

 12

 12

 13

 14



Vale of Leven District General Hospital

 8

 8

 8

 8

 6



Ayrshire and Arran

 25

 25

 25

 25

 25



Ayrshire Central Hospital

 25

 25

 25

 25

 25



Borders

 8

 8

 8

 8

 8



Borders General Hospital1

 8

 8

 8

 8

 8



Dumfries and Galloway

 12

 12

 12

 12

 5



Cresswell Maternity Hospital (closed in 2002)

 12

 12

 12

 11

-



Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary2

-

-

-

 1

 5



Fife

 20

 20

 20

 20

 20



Forth Park Hospital

 20

 20

 20

 20

 20



Forth Valley

 17

 17

 17

 17

 17



Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary

 12

 12

 12

 12

 12



Stirling Royal Infirmary3

 5

 5

 5

 5

 5



Grampian

 44

 44

 42

 41

 38



Aberdeen Maternity Hospital

 40

 40

 38

 38

 38



Dr Gray's Hospital

 4

 4

 4

 3

-



Greater Glasgow4

 98

 78

 77

 78

 78



Queen Mother's Hospital

 28

 29

 27

 28

 28



Rutherglen Maternity Hospital (closed in 1998)

 17

-

-

-

-



Southern General Hospital

 16

 16

 16

 16

 16



The Princess Royal Maternity Unit

 37

 33

 34

 33

 34



Highland

 20

 20

 20

 18

 12



Raigmore Hospital

 20

 20

 20

 18

 12



Lanarkshire

 44

 44

 43

 24

 20



Bellshill Hospital (closed in 2001)

 34

 34

 34

 6

-



Law Hospital (closed in 2001)

 10

 10

 9

 1

-



Wishaw General Hospital (opened 2001)

-

-

-

 17

 20



Lothian

 58

 59

 59

 59

 58



New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (opened 2002)

-

-

-

-

 44



Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion (closed 2002)

 44

 45

 45

 45

-



St John's Hospital At Howden

 14

 14

 14

 14

 14



Tayside

 34

 34

 25

 22

 25



Ninewells Hospital

 24

 24

 18

 18

 19



Perth Royal Infirmary

10

10

6

4

6



  Source: ISD Scotland (Form ISD(S)1).

  Reference: ISD/ACIG/Neonatal.xls.

  Date: 07/01/04

  PProvisional

  RRevised

  Notes:

  1. For 1999 and 2000, data has been revised to show eight neonatal cots not previously recorded on national data.

  2. Trust reports seven cots moved outwith neontal unit during re-organisation.

  3. Trust reports 10 neonatal special care cots outwith neonatal unit.

  4 Data for 1999 has been revised to exclude 17 incorrectly classified neonatal cots at Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

  General Notes:

  (a) The table shows information on average available staffed beds. This indicates the average daily number of beds which were staffed and were available for the reception of in-patients and day cases. Borrowed and temporary beds are included; beds in day bed units are excluded.

  (b) The figures presented in the table are averages; due to rounding, certain totals and sub-totals may not equate to the sum of the component figures shown.

  (c) A neonatal unit is a facility which provides neonatal special care and/or neonatal intensive care for sick babies. Neonatal special care usually, but not always, takes place in a neonatal unit. Neonatal cots providing special care and which are located outwith a neonatal unit cannot be explicitly identified from the national dataset and so are excluded from the table.

  (d) ISD Scotland has contacted a number of trusts to gain more information about changing cot numbers over the period.

  (e) Local practices differ and this has an impact on the comparability of the number of cots between hospitals and between years. Stirling Royal Infirmary, for example, has 10 neonatal special care cots outwith their neonatal unit. These are not explicitly identifiable from the data and do not appear in the table.

  (f) Recent hospital closures and re-organisation of services has also had an impact on bed numbers. At Cresswell Maternity hospital in Dumfries and Galloway, some cots in the neonatal unit were used for babies whose mothers were unable to care for them immediately after birth. After closure of the Cresswell and transfer of services to the Royal Infirmary, these cots have been moved outwith the neonatal unit so reducing the number of cots recorded in a neonatal unit in Dumfries and Galloway from 12 to five between 2002 and 2003.

  (g) Similarly, the shift of services in Lanarkshire from Law and Bellshill hospitals and the reduction in cot numbers from 43 in 2001 to 20 in 2003 is accompanied by an increase in occupancy from 38% to 71% during the period (the trust reports current occupancy levels of 90%+ with regular occurances of 100%).

  (h) Raigmore Hospital in Highland NHS board area report the reduction from 18 cots to 12 in 2003 is associated with an increase in occupancy.

  (i) Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow report the incorrect classification of cots in a neonatal unit in 1999. These have been excluded from the table. The 17 cots at Rutherglen Maternity Hospital were special care cots for moderately sick babies or those waiting to be transferred. After closure, mothers went to the Southern General and Princess Royal hospitals and the Lanarkshire maternity units.

  (j) The general fall in average available staffed beds in neonatal units is accounted for by two reasons.

  The closure of maternity hospitals due to the falling birth rate. The falling birth rate has also reduced the need for special care beds in neonatal units.

  Developments in technology and care mean that fewer sick babies need to be admitted to neonatal units for special care.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median average given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003, differs from the mean average in those figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table,

  

 

Difference in Median Wait & Mean Wait (days)



Quarter ended

In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times

First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times



30 Sept 2003

Median

Mean

Difference

Median

Mean

Difference



41

80.1

-39.1

54

87.2

-33.2



  Note: Data is for quarter end September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

  In-patient/day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median average given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003 differs from the mode average in those figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  The out-patient mode value of 0 days accounts for around 4% of cases and includes, for example, patients who attend "drop-in" out-patient clinics and urgent same day referrals from General Medical Practitioners.

  The in-patient mode value of one-day accounts for around 4% cases and includes, for example, patients where a clinical decision has been made to treat them urgently and a session is available at short notice.

  

 

Difference in Median Wait and Mode Wait (days)



Quarter ended

In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times

First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times



30 Sept 2003

Median

Mode

Difference

Median

Mode

Difference



41

1

+40

54

0

+54



  Note: Data is for quarter end September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

  In-patient/day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median averages given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003 differs from the mean averages for each quarter since 1997.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  



Difference in Median Wait and Mean Wait (days)



Quarter Ended

In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times

First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times


 

Median

Mean

Difference
Median
Mean
Difference


30 June 1997

34

59.6

-25.6
40
54.0
-14.0



30 September 1997

34

60.7

-26.7

45

60.2

-15.2



31 December 1997

32

58.8

-26.8

44

61.7

-17.7



31 March 1998

33

60.7

-27.7

43

60.7

-17.7



30 June 1998

32

59.4

-27.4

43

59.3

-16.3



30 September 1998

33

60.4

-27.4

48

64.0

-16.0



31 December 1998

31

59.2

-28.2

48

64.8

-16.8



31 March 1999

33

57.9

-24.9

47

66.2

-19.2



30 June 1999

30

53.5

-23.5

46

64.3

-18.3



30 September 1999

31

54.9

-23.9 

51

69.2

-18.2



31 December 1999

30

53.6

-23.6 

50

69.6

-19.6



31 March 2000

33

57.1

-24.1

48

68.7

-20.7



30 June 2000

32

58.9

-26.9

47

65.0

-18.0



30 September 2000

35

62.7

-27.7

50

68.3

-18.3



31 December 2000

34

62.1

-28.1

50

71.9

-21.9



31 March 2001

35

62.4

-27.4

51

78.0

-27.0



30 June 2001

33

61.1

-28.1

50

73.4

-23.4



30 September 2001

34

63.4

-29.4

56

77.2

-21.2



31 December 2001

32

61.8

-29.8

55

80.0

-25.0



31 March 2002

33

64.3

-31.3

56

83.3

-27.3



30 June 2002

31

61.0

-30.0

54

84.1

-30.1



30 September 2002

34

66.5

-32.5

57

87.6

-30.6



31 December 2002

34

68.5

-34.5

57

91.0

-34.0



31 March 2003

38

75.2

-37.2

56

91.8

-35.8



30 June 2003

38

76.3

-38.3

51

85.0

-34.0



30 September 2003

41

80.1

-39.1

54

87.2

-33.2



  Note: Data for the most recent quarters should be considered provisional.

  In-patient/day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether, and, if so, by how much, the median averages given in the figures for waiting times for the quarter to September 2003 differs from the mode averages for each quarter since 1997.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  



Difference in Median Wait and Mode Wait (days)



Quarter Ended

In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times

First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times


 
Median
Mode

Difference

Median

Mode

Difference


30 June 1997
34
1
+33
40
0
+40



30 September 1997

34

7

+27

45

0

+45



31 December 1997

32

1

+31

44

0

+44



31 March 1998

33

1

+32

43

0

+43



30 June 1998

32

1

+31

43

0

+43



30 September 1998

33

1

+32

48

0

+48



31 December 1998

31

7

+24

48

0

+48



31 March 1999

33

1

+32

47

0

+47



30 June 1999

30

1

+29

46

0

+46



30 September 1999

31

1

+30 

51

0

+51



31 December 1999

30

1

+29 

50

0

+50



31 March 2000

33

1

+32

48

0

+48



30 June 2000

32

1

+31

47

0

+47



30 September 2000

35

1

+34

50

0

+50



31 December 2000

34

1

+33

50

0

+50



31 March 2001

35

1

+34

51

0

+51



30 June 2001

33

1

+32

50

0

+50



30 September 2001

34

1

+33

56

0

+56



31 December 2001

32

1

+31

55

0

+55



31 March 2002

33

1

+32

56

0

+56



30 June 2002

31

1

+30

54

0

+54



30 September 2002

34

1

+33

57

0

+57



31 December 2002

34

1

+33

57

0

+57



31 March 2003

38

1

+37

56

0

+56



30 June 2003

38

1

+37

51

0

+51



30 September 2003

41

1

+40

54

0

+54



  Note: Data for the most recent quarters should be considered as provisional.

  In-patient/day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, what the range of values in the dataset of waiting times is for the latest waiting times figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases and what the greatest value is in each case.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the minimum value and the value of the 99th. percentile of the waiting times distributions. The use of the 99th percentile for the maximum value is an appropriate statistical convention to remove outliers due to recording error.

  


In-patient/Day Case Waiting Times

First Out-patient Appointment Waiting Times



Minimum Value (days)

99th. Percentile Value (days)

Minimum Value (days)

99th Percentile Value (days)



0

489

0

442



  Note: Data is for quarter end September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

  In-patient/day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, what the standard deviation is in the latest waiting times figures for (a) out-patients and (b) in-patients and day cases.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  

First Outpatient Appointment Waiting Times
Standard Deviation (days)
Inpatient/Day Case Waiting Times
Standard Deviation (days)



123.7

108.9



  Note: Data is for quarter end September 2003, and should be regarded as provisional.

  In-patient/Day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, what percentage of out-patients was seen within (a) 39 weeks and (b) 52 weeks.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  


Percentage of First Out-patient Appointments seen within 39 weeks of Referral Date

Percentage of First Out-patient Appointments seen within 52 weeks of Referral Date



94.0%

97.0%



  Note: Data is for quarter end September 2003, and should be considered provisional.

  In-patient/day case data is sourced from the SMR01 dataset, Out-patient data is sourced from the SMR00 dataset, and covers referrals from a GMP/GDP to a consultant led out-patient clinic.

NHS Waiting Times

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2F-379 by Mr Jack McConnell on 27 November 2003, whether the waiting times data has symmetrical distribution or whether it is skewed and, if so, in what way.

Malcolm Chisholm: Waiting times data follow a highly positively skewed distribution Consequently, the median is the most appropriate measure of central tendency in these datasets.

NHS Waiting Times

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set any targets relating to waiting times for cataract operations and, if so, what those targets are.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have not set any waiting times targets specifically for cataract operations and have no plans to do so. Cataract operations are covered by our national maximum waiting time guarantee for hospital in-patient and day case treatment, which was reduced from 12 months to nine months from 31 December 2003. This guarantee will be further reduced to six months from 31 December 2005.

NHS Waiting Times

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time is for patients who have been referred to clinical psychology by their GP or psychiatrist to be offered their first appointment, broken down by NHS board and trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.

National Health Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4230 by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 December 2003, why Scottish NHS chief executives, directors and other senior managers are exempted from the Agenda for Change process if their job weight is over 720 points.

Malcolm Chisholm: A review of the Executive pay arrangements in Scotland is to take place shortly. As part of their review, the review group will be expected to make recommendations about the future pay arrangements to apply to these staff.

National Health Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what timescale has been set for the establishment by NHS boards of independent advice bodies for patient complaints.

Malcolm Chisholm: We are currently considering the timescale for the introduction of the revised NHS Complaints Procedure. As part of this, work is under way to develop a specification for the independent advice service which NHS boards should commission to support patients using the revised procedure.

National Health Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will hold any discussions with the Scottish Public Pensions Agency to ensure that no loss of future pensions payments will result from the implementation of Agenda for Change in the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: My officials met with representatives of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency on Friday 16 January 2004.

National Health Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what areas will benefit from the launch of NHS Digital TV next summer.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Direct Digital TV will be rolled out in summer 2004. The service will be available to everyone in the UK who subscribes to digital TV.

National Health Service

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input NHS Scotland has had to the development of NHS Digital TV.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Digital TV is a Department of Health initiative in England led by NHS Direct. NHS 24 is currently in discussions with NHS Direct on how the Digital TV service will be developed, including the development of a separate Scottish section.

National Health Service

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current status and outcome is of the IT training scheme for primary care health professionals and, in particular, whether the scheme has been rolled out across Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: As part of the implementation arrangements for the new General Medical Services (GMS) Contract, the GMS Information, Management and Technology (IM&T) Training/Facilitation Project was initiated in summer 2003. It is a one-off initiative to inform the design of on-going GP practice IM&T training programmes, which will be the responsibility of NHS boards/trusts as part of the new contract arrangements.

  All 15 NHS boards in Scotland have now initiated projects, and are making progress to support the implementation of the IM&T requirements of the new GMS Contract, in line with their local arrangements, at GP practice level. The local projects are being supported centrally by the CSA GMS IM&T Programme through guidance, toolsets and workshops.

  The intention is to use this approach as a model for addressing the IT training needs of other health care professionals, starting initially with community pharmacists.

Police

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce an independent system for dealing with complaints against the police.

Cathy Jamieson: A Partnership for a Better Scotland includes a commitment to set up an independent police complaints body.

Police

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many special constables there have been in Grampian police force in each year since 1995.

Cathy Jamieson: The numbers of special constables serving with Grampian in each year since 1995 are shown in the following table:

  Grampian Police

  Numbers of Special Constables

  


As at 31 March:
 



1995

198



1996

171



1997

146



1998

138



1999

121



As at 30 June:
 



2000

122



2001

117



2002

121



2003

95

Prescription Charges

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual (a) actual and (b) additional cost would be of providing free prescriptions to (i) the whole population and (ii) those people who are currently not eligible and who have (1) a terminal illness and (2) long-term health problems.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is not possible to produce firm estimates of the actual or additional costs to the NHS of providing free prescriptions for the whole population of Scotland or for the patient groups specified.

  The NHS currently receives around £47 million per year from prescription charge income. This income would be lost if prescriptions were provided free. In addition NHS spending on GP services, the drugs bill and pharmacists' remuneration could rise if people obtained on prescription items that they would previously have bought over the counter. Such increases, though likely, cannot be quantified. Cost reductions are unlikely to exceed £1 million per year, made up of administrative savings on certain prescription fraud prevention measures, prescription charge refunds and pre-payment certificate services which would no longer being required.

  The costs or savings which would arise from providing free prescriptions for people suffering from a terminal illness or long-term health problems cannot be estimated. The number of people that fall into these groups is not known, neither is the number required to pay for their prescriptions under the current prescription charging arrangements. Consequently, it is not possible to identify and cost the drugs prescribed or the number of prescriptions written for these patients. People suffering from a terminal illness who are receiving palliative care in hospital or in a hospice do not pay for their prescribed drugs.

Public Private Partnerships

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations to Her Majesty's Government in support of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ballast plc being placed in administration, in light of the impact of this matter on the East Lothian public private partnership schools project.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive does not intend to make any representations to Her Majesty's Government in support of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ballast plc being placed in administration.

Public Private Partnerships

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish, or direct the local authority to publish, the contract documents in relation to the East Lothian public private partnership schools project contract with Ballast plc.

Mr Andy Kerr: Publication of contracts is a matter for each client authority. The Scottish Executive encourages public authorities to comply with best practice on openness, for example, public authorities are expected to publish final business cases. Information should only be withheld where disclosure would cause real harm to the legitimate commercial or legal interests of suppliers, contractors, the public sector client or any other relevant party.

Public Private Partnerships

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the impact on the East Lothian public private partnership schools project of Ballast plc being placed in administration, what steps it will take to ensure that sub-contractors receive the money that they are due and whether it has any plans to introduce provisions to allow public sector clients to make payments direct to any sub-contractor adversely affected by external factors, such as companies being placed in administration.

Mr Andy Kerr: Where a main contractor has been placed in administration, payments due to the main contractor will usually form a part of that contractor's assets and it is for the administrator to determine whether any further sums are due from the consortium.

  The Executive does not consider that any new provisions are required. In a public private partnership situation it is important to preserve the transfer of risk to the consortium which lies at the heart of the public private partnership contract and is the basis of value for money for the taxpayer. Direct payments to sub-contractors would not be consistent with these fundamentals.

Public Private Partnerships

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made in respect of the level of fees levied by Deloitte and Touche in relation to Ballast plc being in administration, in light of the impact of the matter on the East Lothian public private partnership schools project.

Mr Andy Kerr: Matters concerning companies being placed in administration are reserved. The Executive has no locus to intervene.

Public Private Partnerships

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to conduct a review of its public sector procurement policy and practice in light of the impact of Ballast plc being placed in administration on the East Lothian public private partnership schools project.

Mr Andy Kerr: There are no immediate plans to review the Executive's public sector procurement policy.

Renewable Energy

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4159 by Lewis Macdonald on 5 December 2003, how much additional capacity of wind-generated electricity can be transmitted using the existing national grid structure in Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: A Renewable Energy Network Study, Impact of Renewable Generation on the Electrical Transmission Network in Scotland , published in 2001 found that 650 MegaWatts of new installed renewables capacity could be connected to the grid without the need for additional reinforcement or extension to the Scottish network. Copies of the study findings are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 20013)  .

Residential Care

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it still intends to require (a) all new adult care homes to meet the standards for en suite facilities and (b) an end to shared rooms in 2007 and how many care home places it estimates will be lost as a result of such requirements.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are no plans to alter the requirements in the National Care Standards for the provision of en suite facilities in all newly built adult care homes and the offer of single rooms in existing care homes, to those who want them, by 2007. There is some flexibility for interpreting the standards for existing homes; in particular it can be agreed between the provider and the Care Commission to allow good quality rooms and en suite facilities in existing homes that do not meet the standards to remain in use.

  The Executive has no evidence to suggest that any care home places will be lost as a result of the requirements in the standards.

Scotland Act 1998

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28375 by Patricia Ferguson on 10 September 2002, what subsequent discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government on any modifications of the Schedule of reserved matters under section 29(2) of the Scotland Act 1998 and what any such modifications were.

Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive remains in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues. No further orders have been made to amend schedule 5 to the Scotland Act 1998, which sets out reserved matters, beyond those listed in the answer to question S1W-28375. A legislative reference in paragraph (a) of section B3 of Part 2 of Schedule 5 was updated by the European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002.

Scottish Criminal Record Office

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4474 by Cathy Jamieson on 10 December 2003, what the training requirements would be for Scottish Criminal Record Office staff in respect of non-numeric fingerprinting if non-numeric fingerprinting were to be adopted in Scotland and what performance targets would be set for the quality of such evidence.

Cathy Jamieson: Training in relation to the non-numeric standard would be broadly the same as for the numeric standard. Additional training on the court presentation of non-numeric evidence would, however, be required.

  The fingerprint experts at the Scottish Criminal Record Office will continue to be trained at the National Training Centre, Durham. They will also continue to have annual competency tests and be subject to a Continuous Professional Development Programme.

  The performance target for the quality of fingerprint evidence would continue to be that every identification opinion given would be the product of an authorised expert, trained to the highest standards, subject to annual competency testing, using processes subject to external audit and operating within an internationally recognised Quality Management System.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a table or tables listing the identifiable public expenditure per capita, for each year in which figures are available, broken down into (a) housing, (b) health, (c) education, (d) tourism, (e) transport, (f) roads, (g) local government, (h) fire and emergency services, (i) police and (j) prisons, and what comparative information it has on identifiable public expenditure per capita under these headings for (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) the United Kingdom and on Scotland's per capita identifiable public expenditure under each heading as a proportion of such expenditure in (1) England, (2) Wales, (3) Northern Ireland and (4) the United Kingdom.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is given in Tables 8.2-8.6 of Public Expenditure, Statistical Analyses 2003  published by The Stationery Office in December 2003, a copy of which is in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 30566). The publication details the whole of public spending in Scotland and is, therefore, not directly comparable with the Scottish Executive accounts.

Scottish Executive Finance

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30714 by Mr Andy Kerr on 11 November 2002, how much has been spent on staff costs in its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in 2002-03 and 2003-04 to date and what percentage of the department's total budget staff costs represented in each year from 1999-2000 to 2002-03.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested on expenditure by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) is set out in the following tables:

  Table 1: SEERAD Staff Costs Spend

  



2002-03
£000
2003-04 (Spend to 30 November)
£000



SEERAD staff costs spend1

£28,770

£20,509



  Table 2: SEERAD Staff Costs Spend and Programme Budget

  



1999-2000

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03


 

£000

£000

£000

£000



SEERAD staff costs spend1

£22,622

£24,442

£26,808

£28,770



SEERAD programme budget2,3

£783,000

£834,000

£1,141,000

£1,167,000



Staff costs as a % of programme budget 

2.9

2.9

2.3

2.5



  Notes:

  1. The figures for the staff cost spend in 2001-02 and 2002-03 exclude expenditure which was reimbursed from DEFRA to meet the Scottish Executive costs of the foot and mouth outbreak.

  2. The 1999-2000 and 2000-01 programme budget figures were published in Serving Scotland's Needs, The Government's Expenditure Plans 1999-2000 to 2001-02 and the 2001-02 and 2002-03 programme budget figures were published in the 2003-04 Annual Expenditure Report.

  3. Following the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting the programme budget figures for 2001-02 and 2002-03 include non-cash resource adjustments to reflect capital charges and are not therefore directly comparable with the programme budget figures for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 which are reported on a cash basis.

Scottish Executive Funding

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to Argyll and Bute Council in each of the last five years to subsidise the running costs of local authority-run ferry services, broken down by ferry service.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scottish Executive funding for most local authority services is made by means of a single block grant. Within the formula used to calculate that grant, the assumed level of expenditure on ferry services by Argyll and Bute is shown in the following table. However, it is up to each local authority how it allocates its funding to individual services taking account of local needs and priorities as well as national priorities.

  Support for Ferries (GAE) (£000)

  


1998-99

1999-2000

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04



366

284

246

318

337

354

Scottish Executive Funding

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of its grant funding allocated to Argyll and Bute Council in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99, (d) 1999-2000, (e) 2000-01, (f) 2001-02 and (g) 2002-03.

Mr Andy Kerr: The main grant funding allocated to Argyll and Bute Council are shown in the following table.

  


(£ million)

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-2000

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03



Aggregate External Finance

110.1

108.0

107.7

110.9

113.5

121.8

136.7



Capital Allocations

14.7

16.9

12.7

11.3

12.6

17.2

12.4

Scottish Medicines Consortium

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on contraceptives recently approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) advice is issued direct to NHS boards by the SMC. Information about products recommended by the SMC for use within NHSScotland can be found on their website www.htbs.co.uk/smc , or by contacting the SMC secretariat at Delta House, 50 West Nile Street, Glasgow, G1 2NP (0141 225 6997).

  During 2003, the SMC reviewed 3 contraceptive products Yasmin, Evra and Cerazette.

Speech and Language Therapists

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time has been for a first appointment to see a speech and language therapist in each NHS Board area in each of the last five years and so far this year.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available centrally.

Speech and Language Therapists

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase the number of training places for speech and language therapists.

Malcolm Chisholm: The allocation of places to specific subject area is rightly a matter for individual institutions.

  Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and legislation precludes Ministers from directing funds to particular institutions or courses. The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council is responsible for allocating places to broad subject groups and for taking a strategic overview in key areas.

Speech and Language Therapists

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address any reduction in the number of experienced speech and language therapists employed in the public sector.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is for NHS Boards to determine the need for local therapy services and to provide the services required.

  The Partnership Agreement commits to increasing overall numbers of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), including speech and language therapists, by 1,500 by 2007. Working groups established as part of the AHP strategy Future Directions are already looking at initiatives to improve recruitment and retention and clinical placements. A range of professional development and leadership opportunities is being developed to retain the existing workforce. In addition, £1 million has been made available for additional student places in priority areas including speech and language therapy, funding is available to support a "return to practice" initiative and alternative routes to state registration are currently being explored.

Teacher Training

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its initiatives have necessitated additions to initial teacher education programmes in each year since 1999.

Peter Peacock: These figures are not held centrally.

Waste Management

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive in which areas of Scotland human sewage is being disposed on land.

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive which companies are involved in the disposal on land of human sewage.

Ross Finnie: This information is not held centrally. Regulation of disposal of all organic wastes to land is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Water Charges

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4498 by Ross Finnie on 10 December 2003, whether it will now comment on the Water Customer Consultation Panel's report Affordability of Water and Sewerage Charges for Low Income Households and specifically on the recommendations that the Executive's current water and sewerage charges reduction scheme, due to expire in April 2004, should be extended in scale, scope and time, that Scottish Water should consider assuming responsibility for collecting water and sewerage charges and that the policy of selective household metering should be pursued with more vigour across the country.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is committed to securing substantial efficiency savings at Scottish Water as the principal means of easing pressure on water and sewerage charges for all customers, including those in low income and vulnerable households. In addition, particular assistance to low income households is provided through the link between water charges and the council tax banding and discount arrangements.

  The Executive is assessing the impact that ending the current Water and Sewerage Charges Reduction Scheme will have in light of harmonisation of charges. A decision on whether any further action is required will be made in light of this assessment.

  In terms of collecting water and sewerage charges, local authorities are currently responsible for collecting charges for domestic customers. This is an efficient and customer friendly way of charging. It enables customers to pay for two services with one bill; and it avoids them having to meet, through higher water bills, the costs that otherwise would arise from having to establish and maintain a separate billing system for water and sewerage services.

  The practice of local authorities collecting water and sewerage charges is also the basis of the crucial link between charges and the council tax banding and discount arrangements. Giving Scottish Water responsibility to collect charges would not only result in increased bills for customers, it would undermine these arrangements to the detriment of low income and vulnerable households.

  The Executive has no plans of directing Scottish Water to pursue a policy of household metering.

Water Charges

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the transitional relief scheme for water rates beyond March 2004.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is assessing the impact that ending the current Water and Sewerage Charges Reduction Scheme will have in light of harmonisation of charges. A decision on whether any further action is required will be made in light of this assessment.

Wildlife

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial impact of the increase in deer numbers on farms, crofts and gardens.

Ross Finnie: None.

  Under current legislation, land managers have powers to deal direct at all times with incursions of deer onto arable land, improved pasture or enclosed woodlands where the occupier believes that serious damage will be caused to woodland, crops, pasture or human or animal foodstuffs.

Wildlife

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs has declined the request of the Deer Commission for Scotland for "new powers of appropriate compulsion" to reduce increasing deer numbers and, if so, for what reasons

Ross Finnie: We have not ruled out future updating of deer legislation in Scotland to improve effective management and welfare. However, the Executive is yet to be convinced that existing compulsory powers will not work particularly when underpinned by robust, sound evidence of damage. Meanwhile, the Deer Commission for Scotland will use the powers already at their disposal if that becomes necessary to achieve change.

Wildlife

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost is to the NHS of treating victims of road accidents caused by vehicle collisions with deer

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available from central returns.